Praise for the playboy image
by Northoftheroad
Summary: Damian finds an old article about the time when Bruce Wayne almost lost custody of Dick Grayson. (Disclaimer: I still own truckloads of Batman comics but no characters.) Crossposted at AO3


"Father. What is this!?"

"I don't know, Damian. Perhaps if you come here with the tablet so I can see what you're talking about..?"

"This! I was googling Wayne to look up on some family history and found an article about a trial concerning the guardianship of Grayson."

"Oh yes – those were the days..."

"Why did they try to take Grayson away from you? Did the imbeciles not think you would be able to feed him properly?"

"See, Damian, I had cultivated the playboy image for a few years when I took Dick in, and my habits didn't sit well with everyone in the CPS, among others. Even today, some people don't really approve of a single man getting custody of a child, never mind how spotless his reputation is."

"Someone attested that Grayson witnessed seven bachelor parties and eighteen late night female guests during four months."

"I thought it was better than leaving him at home all the time. And he had lived in a small trailer – with his parents. He wasn't likely to be shocked that I dated and… um…."

"The prosecutor said you had a bad moral character, a sordid reputation, and was a bad influence. And that you went nightclubbing a lot."

"High praise indeed for my portrayal of an irresponsible playboy, wouldn't you say?"

"According to the reporter, Grayson repeatedly showed up at school with bruises, sprained wrists and other injuries."

"Dick's background as a circus aerialist was always a good excuse. I just had to shake my head, look exasperated, and say that I'd talked to him about safety first on numerous occasions, but that he was just too keen on acrobatics and couldn't sit still for five minutes. It was pretty much the truth, anyway."

"And the article is quoting some Wertham moron, who claims you took Grayson in because you liked young, pretty boys."

"It does!? Damn, I thought I had those articles… sorted out a long time ago."

"… Sorted out? As in suing for slander? Or hacking the server and deleting them? You should rightfully have broken their arms, but I suppose that is too much to hope for."

"…. What was it that you wanted, Damian? Were you upset that not everyone thought I was a fit guardian to Dick? You can't be surprised that the press wrote about my playboy habits, surely. And I can't believe you would have wanted me to give up and let them take Dick, just like that."

"Tt. I was… surprised, that is all. I thought the Gotham authorities had better sense than to doubt your motives and your abilities, even when you were young."

"…."

"Bruce, have you seen… There you are, Damian. I'm ready to go to the arcade, whenever you are. I'll just wait out… "

"Come in, Dick. We're reminiscing about your childhood. Damian was curious about the trial about my fitness to continue as your guardian."

"Oh?"

"I accidentally found an article on the internet. I did not realize anyone was opposed to father's habit of picking up strays."

"Here, let me see. Oh yes… The press sure had a field day during that trial. I remember Bruce refused to tell me what some of the words they used meant. I asked uncle Clark instead…"

"And he told you…?!"

"Easy Bruce, it was a long time ago, you can't get mad at Clark now. He evaded as much as he could, but he was never a good liar when it comes to things like that. It was pretty clear those were bad words. Anyway, what are dictionaries for?"

"… Exactly what dictionaries are we talking about…?"

"Tt. It must have been an unpleasant experience, Grayson."

"The trial was scary while it lasted; but it was kind of nice when everything was sorted out, you know…"

"… Obviously, you have some sickening sentimental reason to say that…"

"Well, Bruce did fight to keep me, after all. He wouldn't have done that if he didn't… want me here. Anyway, that's how I saw it, at the time."

"Tt. You would."

"All right, boys, why don't you get going to that place I don't want to know about."

"You always did have selective hearing that I could count on, Bruce. Come on, Damian. The Cheese Viking awaitens."

"…Father."

"Hm?"

"I suppose I am not adverse… to that you did not give up…"

 **(Quotes from Batman #20, Batman #57 and Nightwing #75.)**


End file.
